Credit: Joel/Coconut Wireless, FlickrFor more than two decades, Universal theme parks have been allowing guests to wait in shorter queues and get to the front of the line faster with its Express Pass. While the Express Pass can cost hundreds of dollars per day — depending on which theme park you are visiting and what time of year it is — many guests find it worth it, as the pass can be a real time saver.
This is especially true at places like Universal Orlando’s newest theme park, Epic Universe. Guests can use the Express Pass for shorter waits at attractions like Stardust Racers, Monsters Unchained, Hiccups Wing Gliders, Harry Potter and the Battle At the Ministry, Mine-Cart Madness, and so many more.
Related: How Epic Universe May Be Shaping Disney World’s Fifth Theme Park
Express Pass can be a real lifesaver for some, but according to one Universal theme park engineer, they are also one of the biggest reasons that guest behavior has sunk to an all-time low.
In an interview with The Atlantic, Kevin Blakeney, a beloved landscape architect who helped bring Epic Universe to life, discussed the negative impact these front-of-the-line passes have had on the overall guest experience.
Universal first announced Epic Universe back in 2019, and after some COVID-19 pandemic delays, the new theme park finally opened in May 2025. Fans have been flocking to the park to experience new places like Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, and Celestial Park.
Related: Universal Studios Prepares for Its Largest Expansion Since 1964
During the interview, Blakeney noted that guests using a traditional standby queue get very frustrated as they watch the guests in the Express queue fly by them.
“That’s a real point of frustration: to see the express moving so quickly when the standby is not,” Blakeney said. “That’s when fights break out among guests.”
He further noted that when Epic Universe was designed, conflict between standby guests and Express guests was largely considered, so many of the queues in the new theme park barely have the two lines interacting or even seeing each other prior to boarding.
Related: Universal Orlando Eyes 3 Massive Franchises for Theme Park Expansion
Fights in line have become all too common at places like Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World. On busy days, guests visiting Epic Universe can see wait times of more than 3 or 4 HOURS for rides like Mine-Cart Madness.
Line-cutting also seems to be coming more of an issue as brazen guests more and more desperate to cut their wait times down by any means necessary. We have reported on fights breaking out when guests refuse to let someone by who says they are meeting with their party further up in the line.
Disney World cast members and Universal team members are also being forced to get stricter with these line cutters. If they see a large group trying to meet up with one person who has waited, they will tell them it’s not allowed and have them go to the back of the line or flat out refuse to let them ride.
Do you think options like Universal’s Express Pass have made things better or worse at the parks? Do you think Universal needs to change the way the Express Pass operates? Should guests in the standby queue be treated better than they currently are? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!